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Songs that Tell a Story

They used to be called "ballads," but now any old name will do. These are songs that use music as a narrative device. This practice actually has a long history, going back through operas, epics, poetry, and even to ancient Greece.

The stories these songs tell might be happy or sad, truth or fiction, frivolous or serious. But they'll all have one thing in common: Having a little more depth to them and a lot more thought put into them than your average teenage love ditty. Follow the story and identify with the characters; the journey you find mat parallel your own life, for good or bad.

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  (Old Dogs, Children And) Watermelon Wine Tom T. Hall
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  (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance Gene Pitney
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  100 Years Five For Fighting
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  18 and Life Skid Row
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  4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) Bruce Springsteen
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  7 Years Lukas Graham
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  8 Letters Why Don't We
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  9th & Hennepin Tom Waits
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  A Boy Named Sue Johnny Cash
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  A Horse With No Name America
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  A Little Piece of Heaven Avenged Sevenfold
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  A Nightmare to Remember Dream Theater
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  Adam's Song Blink-182
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  Afire Love Ed Sheeran
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  Ahab the Arab Ray Stevens
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  Alice's Restaurant Arlo Guthrie
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  All Along the Watchtower Bob Dylan
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  All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You Heart
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  All Too Well Taylor Swift
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  All-American Girl Carrie Underwood
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  Alligator Purse Chely Wright
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  America Simon & Garfunkel
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  American Pie Don McLean
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  Amnesia 5 Seconds of Summer
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  And So it Goes Billy Joel
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  Ariel Dean Friedman
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  At Seventeen Janis Ian
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  Baby Justin Bieber
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  Bad, Bad Leroy Brown Jim Croce
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  Ballad of Billy Joe McKay Shawn Mullins
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  Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest Bob Dylan
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  Ballad Of The Alamo Marty Robbins
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  Bat Out of Hell Meat Loaf
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  Battle Scars Guy Sebastian
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  Beautiful Eminem
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  Best Friend Foster the People
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  Big Bad John Jimmy Dean
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  Big Iron Marty Robbins
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  Billy and Bonnie Steve Earle
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  Billy Brown Mika
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  Billy Don't Be a Hero Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
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  Bloodstream Ed Sheeran
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  Blown Away Carrie Underwood
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  Bohemian Rhapsody Queen
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  Boulevard of Broken Dreams Green Day
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  Boxing Ben Folds Five
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  Brain Stew Green Day
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  Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) Looking Glass
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  Brick Ben Folds Five
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  Brick by Boring Brick Paramore
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  Broken Home 5 Seconds of Summer
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  Brooklyn Roads Neil Diamond
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  Buenas Tardes Amigo Ween
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  Build God, Then We'll Talk Panic! At The Disco
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  Bulletproof Love Pierce the Veil
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  Burma Shave Tom Waits
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  Canadian Railroad Trilogy Gordon Lightfoot
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  Car Radio Twenty One Pilots
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  Carolina Drama Raconteurs, The
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  Casimir Pulaski Day Sufjan Stevens
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  Cat's in the Cradle Harry Chapin
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  Chelsea Hotel Leonard Cohen
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  Chesterfield King Jawbreaker
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  Circle Flyleaf
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  City of New Orleans Steve Goodman
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  Cleaning this Gun (Come on in Boy) Rodney Atkins
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  Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton
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  Come Dancing Kinks, The
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  Concrete Angel Martina McBride
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  Convoy Red Sovine
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  Copacabana (At the Copa) Barry Manilow
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  Copperhead Road Steve Earle
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  Country Death Song Violent Femmes
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  Coward of the County Kenny Rogers
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  Dance with the Devil Immortal Technique
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  Dark Paradise Lana Del Rey
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  Darling Nikki Prince
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  Daughter Pearl Jam
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  David's Last Summer Pulp
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  Deathbed Relient K
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  Della and the Dealer Hoyt Axton
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  Devil's Right Hand Steve Earle
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  Dirty Paws Of Monsters and Men
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  Distance Christina Perri
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  Do I Wanna Know? Arctic Monkeys
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  Don't Ed Sheeran
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  Don't Ask Me Seasick Steve
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  Down In The Tube Station At Midnight Jam, The
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  Drink A Beer Luke Bryan
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  El Paso Marty Robbins
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  Eleanor Rigby Beatles
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  End Up Here 5 Seconds of Summer
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  Escape (The Pina Colada Song) Rupert Holmes
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  Every Rose Has Its Thorn Poison
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  Faceless Man Creed
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  Fancy Reba McEntire
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  Fast Car Tracy Chapman
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  Fernando Abba
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  Field Of Innocence Evanescence
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  Fireball Pitbull
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  Flawless Neighbourhood, The
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  Forever Papa Roach
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  Forever and Always Parachute
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  FourFiveSeconds Rihanna
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  Frankie and Johnny Lead Belly
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  Friends Marshmello
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  Funhouse Pink
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  Glory Days Bruce Springsteen
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  Goodbye Again John Denver
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  Goodbye Earl Chicks, The
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  Goodnight Saigon Billy Joel
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  Grace Kelly Mika
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  Greatest Love Story LANCO
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  Green, Green Grass of Home Tom Jones
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  Hand of Sorrow Within Temptation
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  Happily One Direction
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  Harper Valley PTA Jeannie C. Riley
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  Headlights Eminem
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  Heart Made Up on You R5
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  Hello Evanescence
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  Here Comes the Sun Beatles
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  Hero Of War Rise Against
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  Hey Man, Nice Shot Filter
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  Hey There Delilah Plain White T's
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  Highway Don't Care Tim McGraw & Taylor Swift
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  Hold On Till May Pierce the Veil
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  Hollywood Tonight Michael Jackson
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  Honey Bobby Goldsboro
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  Honeymoon Suite Suzanne Vega
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  Hot Rod Lincoln Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
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  Hotel California Eagles
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  How to Save a Life Fray, The
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  Hurricane Bob Dylan
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  Hurricane Bridgit Mendler
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  Hurt Johnny Cash
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  I Don't Love You My Chemical Romance
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  I Feel Lucky Mary Chapin Carpenter
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  I Hate Everything About You Three Days Grace
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  I Love Rock 'n' Roll Joan Jett
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  I See Fire Ed Sheeran
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  I'll Show You Justin Bieber
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  I'll Walk Bucky Covington
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  If I Die Young Band Perry, The
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  If It Makes You Happy Sheryl Crow
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  If It Means a Lot to You A Day to Remember
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  In the Ghetto Elvis Presley
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  Into the Great Wide Open Tom Petty
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  Jack and Diane John Mellencamp
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  Jamie All Over Mayday Parade
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  Jamie's Cryin' Van Halen
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  Jeremy Pearl Jam
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  Jesus Of Suburbia Green Day
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  Jesus Take the Wheel Carrie Underwood
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  Jukebox Hero Foreigner
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  Just a Dream Carrie Underwood
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  Kenji Fort Minor
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  Knife Rockwell
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  La Freeway Guy Clark
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  Last Kiss Pearl Jam
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  Lead Me Out Of The Dark Crown the Empire
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  Let The Record Show Emilie Autumn
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  Light Pollution Bright Eyes
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  Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts Bob Dylan
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  Little Lady Ed Sheeran
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  Living on a Prayer Bon Jovi
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  Lola Kinks, The
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  Lost Boy Ruth B
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  Love is Thicker Than Water Andy Gibb
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  Love Story Taylor Swift
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  Love Vigilantes New Order
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  Lover Taylor Swift
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  Lullaby Nickelback
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  Lullaby Shawn Mullins
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  Lyin' Eyes Eagles
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  Mack the Knife Bobby Darin
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  Mad World Tears For Fears
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  Mama's Broken Heart Miranda Lambert
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  Man in the Mirror Michael Jackson
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  Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett
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  Mary's Song (Oh My My My) Taylor Swift
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  Matty Groves Joan Baez
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  Maxwell's Silver Hammer Beatles
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  Me and Bobby McGee Janis Joplin
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  Me and My Uncle Grateful Dead, The
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  Memories Panic! At The Disco
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  Miles Christina Perri
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  Misery Business Paramore
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  Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince Taylor Swift
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  Mockingbird Eminem
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  Moments One Direction
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  Monster Meg & Dia
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  Monster Skillet
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  More than This One Direction
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  Mr Bojangles Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The
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  Mrs Potato Head Melanie Martinez
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  Norwegian Wood Beatles
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  Nothing Script, The
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  Number 29 Steve Earle
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  Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da Beatles
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  Ode to Billie Joe Bobbie Gentry
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  Old City Bar Trans-Siberian Orchestra
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  Old Rivers Walter Brennan
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  On the Bus Mall Decemberists, The
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  One Metallica
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  One Thing Finger Eleven
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  Papa Was A Rollin' Stone Temptations, The
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  Paradise Coldplay
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  Paradise by the Dashboard Light Meat Loaf
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  Phantom 309 Red Sovine
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  Photograph Nickelback
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  Piano Man Billy Joel
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  Polk Salad Annie Elvis Presley
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  Problem Ariana Grande
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  Ragged Old Flag Johnny Cash
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  Red Ragtop Tim McGraw
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  Reminder Mumford & Sons
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  Replay Zendaya
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  Ride Twenty One Pilots
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  Ride the Lightning Metallica
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  Rime of the Ancient Mariner Iron Maiden
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  Ring of Fire Johnny Cash
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  Rocky Raccoon Beatles
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  Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner Warren Zevon
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  Roller Coaster Luke Bryan
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  Run Joey Run David Guetta
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  Saginaw, Michigan Lefty Frizzell
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  Same Old Lang Syne Dan Fogelberg
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  Save the Life Of My Child Simon & Garfunkel
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  Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair) Browns, The
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  Seventeen Marina and the Diamonds
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  Shalott Emilie Autumn
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  Shape Of You Ed Sheeran
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  Shiloh Neil Diamond
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  Shooting Star Bad Company
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  Sk8er Boi Avril Lavigne
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  Skin (Sarabeth) Rascal Flatts
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  Small Town Southern Man Alan Jackson
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  Smile Avril Lavigne
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  Sometime Around Midnight Airborne Toxic Event
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  Space Oddity David Bowie
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  Speak Now Taylor Swift
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  Stan Eminem
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  Stitches Shawn Mendes
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  Story of My Life One Direction
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  Strawberry Swing Coldplay
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  Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down Kris Kristofferson
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  Supper's Ready Genesis
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  Sylvia's Mother Dr Hook
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  Take Me To Church Hozier
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  Take the Money and Run Steve Miller Band
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  Taken One Direction
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  Tam Lin Fairport Convention
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  Tangled Up In Blue Bob Dylan
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  Taxi Harry Chapin
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  Teddy Bear Red Sovine
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  Teenagers My Chemical Romance
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  Tell Laura I Love Her Ray Peterson
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  Terrible Things Mayday Parade
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  That's My Kind Of Night Luke Bryan
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  The A Team Ed Sheeran
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  The Ballad of Billy the Kid Billy Joel
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  The Ballad of Ira Hayes Johnny Cash
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  The Ballad of Love and Hate Avett Brothers, The
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  The Ballad of Lucy Jordon Dr Hook
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  The Ballad of Mona Lisa Panic! At The Disco
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  The Battle Of New Orleans Johnny Horton
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  The Boxer Simon & Garfunkel
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  The Dance Garth Brooks
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  The Death of Sis Draper Guy Clark
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  The Deeper In Drive-By Truckers
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  The Devil Went Down to Georgia Charlie Daniels
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  The Dilemma You Me At Six
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  The Eighth of November Big & Rich
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  The End Macklemore
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  The Gambler Kenny Rogers
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  The Gates Of Delirium Yes
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  The Gift Velvet Underground, The
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  The Gunners Dream Pink Floyd
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  The Highwayman Loreena McKennitt
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  The Last Resort Eagles
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  The Last Time I Saw Richard Joni Mitchell
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  The Letter Midnight Youth
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  The Lighthouse's Tale Nickel Creek
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  The Man Who Can't Be Moved Script, The
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  The Mariner's Revenge Song Decemberists, The
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  The Night Chicago Died Paper Lace
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  The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia Reba McEntire
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  The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Joan Baez
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  The Queen and the Soldier Suzanne Vega
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  The Roadblock Stan Ridgeway
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  The Thunder Rolls Garth Brooks
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  The Way Fastball
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  The Weight Band, The
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  The Westerner Falling in Reverse
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  The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald Gordon Lightfoot
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  Thinking 'Bout You Frank Ocean
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  Three Wooden Crosses Randy Travis
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  Thunder Road Bruce Springsteen
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  Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree Tony Orlando and Dawn
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  Tillamook County Jail Todd Snider
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  Tom's Diner Suzanne Vega
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  Travelin' Soldier Chicks, The
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  Try Hard 5 Seconds of Summer
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  Turn the Page Bob Seger
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  Twin Rocks, Oregon Shawn Mullins
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  Two Black Cadillacs Carrie Underwood
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  Two Pieces Demi Lovato
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  Valentine's Day Linkin Park
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  View from Heaven Yellowcard
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  Viva La Vida Coldplay
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  Voices Carry Til Tuesday
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  Voodoo Godsmack
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  Waterfalls TLC
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  We're an American Band Grand Funk Railroad
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  West Coast Lana Del Rey
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  What It's Like Everlast
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  What Makes You Beautiful One Direction
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  What Sober Couldn't Say Halestorm
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  Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? Peter Sarstedt
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  Where Have all the Cowboys Gone? Paula Cole
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  Where the Wild Roses Grow Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
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  Whiskey Lullaby Brad Paisley
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  Whispering Jesse John Denver
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  Who Knew Pink
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  Wild Things Alessia Cara
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  Wild Wild Life Talking Heads
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  Worth It Fifth Harmony
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  You are in Love Taylor Swift
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  You Belong With Me Taylor Swift
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  You Don't Mess Around with Jim Jim Croce
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  You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison My Chemical Romance
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  Young Turks Rod Stewart
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  Ziggy Stardust David Bowie

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